Longbow One With

A Look Back at 88th Arkansas General Cooperatives Work to Keep Bills Affordable Rural Arkansas p.16 Assembly Preview p. 20 p. 27 JANUARY 2011 www.ecark.org LIVING One with Nature Longbow Resort Relaxing Ozarks Getaway JANUARY 2011 RURAL ARKANSAS LIVING I 1 America’s Premier Wilderness Resort JanuaRyanuaRy 2, 2011 - m aRCh 3, 2011 – Sunday through Thursday only – Falls lodge deluxe King Room $125 oR PRivate one Room log Cabin Choose from a Private One Room Log Cabin with a wood-burning fireplace, a private deck, Falls lodge double Queen Room and an outdoor grill or a Deluxe King Room on the top $99 Includes lodging for two adults in a Double floor of Falls Lodge, featuring a gas fireplace and a balcony Queen Room in Falls Lodge. Each room overlooking the lake. Either accommodation will spoil you features Sleep Experience bedding, a patio, with Sleep Experience bedding and a jetted tub. and a Jacuzzi bath. *Limited availability. Surcharge is applied for additional guests. Offer not available to groups of 10 or more, on current reservations, holidays, or weekend stays. Just one hour south of national headquarters in springfield, Missouri. RA0111 1-800 -BCLODGE • www.BIGCEDAR. COm 2 I RURAL ARKANSAS LIVING SEPTEMBERJANUARY 20112010 Volume LXIV, Number 3, January 2011 CONTENTS An Official Publication of On the Cover Gary C. Voigt Longbow President and Chief Executive Officer Douglas White Resort Vice President, Systems Services Relaxing Ozarks Getaway Ouida Cox Hidden in the hills of the Ozarks, Editor Longbow Resort welcomes visitors Sheila Yount Associate Editor to enjoy Arkansas’ beauty. Jeremy Henderson by Sheila Yount Heathcott Associates 10 Graphic Design Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Board of Directors Rural Arkansas Officers Jim Parrish Telling the Chairman, Trumann Mitchell Johnson Vice Chairman, Fayetteville Cooperative Story Martha Pennington Secretary, Hamburg by Sheila Yount Mel Coleman Treasurer, Salem 16 Contact Information by Megan McKoy–Noe Rural Arkansas Living under 1 Cooperative Way Little Rock, AR Mailing address P.O. Box 510 PRESSURE 27 Little Rock, AR 72203 501.570.2220 E-mail: [email protected] Scrapbook [email protected] (ISSN 0048-878X) (USPS 472960) Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR and at additional mailing offices. Arkansas Tuberculosis POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Sanatorium Rural Arkansas Living, by Ouida Cox 37 P.O. Box 510, Little Rock, AR 72203 Members: Please send name of your cooperative with mailing label. DEPARTMENTS Subscription Price: $7.00 per year for non-members Comments ................................ 4 Family Favorites ..................... 32 Member of Arkansas Press Association News Briefs .............................. 6 Reflections .............................. 36 Acceptance of advertising by Rural Arkansas Living does not Capitol Buzz ........................... 20 Crossword Puzzle ................... 38 imply endorsement of the product or services advertised by the publisher or the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas. Doug Rye Says ....................... 24 Calendar of Events ................. 42 JANUARY 2011 RURAL ARKANSAS LIVING I 3 COMMENTS The cover wrap was electric rates soared because new power plants cap and trade, the cooperatives are concerned had to be built. In the 1990s, the proposed that such actions could lead to dramatic in- most likely your first deregulation of the electric utility industry creases in the costs to produce electricity. Ad- indication that this month’s was a potential threat to cooperative mem- ditional environmental regulations related to Rural Arkansas magazine was different. For bers, and Rural Arkansas told that story, too. coal ash and other power plant emissions, as the first time in several years, the magazine Most recently, the magazine has featured ar- well as possible mandates for renewable en- has been redesigned and even has a new twist ticles on the debate over climate change and ergy, could also lead to higher costs. to its name – Rural Arkansas Living. proposals to reduce carbon emissions. In the coming months, Rural Arkansas We hope you will like the new design, al- Unlike the early days when most cooper- Living will continue to keep you informed though we know it will probably take a while ative members agreed with the cooperatives’ about those issues and others that could im- for some to get used to the change. With positions on the issues affecting the industry, pact your electric bills. But that’s not all we something as beloved as Rural Arkansas, it can today’s issues, such as climate change and cap will write about. We will continue to feature be a daunting challenge to make changes to and trade, are more complex and divisive. We our members, such as Ben Pearson Jr. and his it. But, first and foremost, we want to be able realize that there are strong opinions on both beautiful Longbow Resort, which is the sub- to effectively communicate with you through sides of this issue. But, as in the past, we be- ject of this month’s cover story. The magazine an easy-to-read and attractive product. And, lieve it is our duty to keep you informed about will also continue to highlight places and peo- just as we are always seeking to improve all the good news and the bad. The climate ple of interest throughout the state. We won’t of our business functions, we thought it was change issue has had a major impact on our let up on our energy efficiency focus, either, time for a fresh look for this most important industry and how we plan for the generation with articles on the popular energy efficiency communications vehicle. needs of our members. Our goal is to support makeover and the ever-popular columns by On pages 16 and 17, there is a piece sound energy policies that will ensure that Doug Rye. And the recipes will remain, al- about the history of the magazine, and we we will have a reliable and affordable source though in a perhaps more useful format so hope you’ll take a moment to read it. It dem- of energy for generations to come. Some of you can cut them out and save them. onstrates that the magazine has been evolv- the recent proposals considered by Congress Rural Arkansas Living has also gone digi- ing throughout its 64-year history. In fact, it would have caused undue harm to our mem- tal. The online edition, which is designed in wasn’t a magazine at all in the beginning. It bers. Because of that, we felt we had to take an easy-to-read flipping book format, is avail- was a newspaper designed to keep coopera- a stand, even though it wasn’t always popular able at www.ecark.org. You can also subscribe tive members informed about the young rural to do so. to the Rural Arkansas Living e-newsletter, electrification program. Much of the content Although it appears that the proposed cap which will give you an early preview of the was “hard news” about power supply issues and trade program, which would have man- magazine. And the latest offering is the Ru- and other political battles the cooperatives dated reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, ral Arkansas Living Facebook page. We hope faced. It wasn’t until the 1960s that human- is dead, we are still concerned about the En- you’ll sign up to be a fan and take advantage interest features and the signature rural Ar- vironmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) pro- of the special offerings there. kansas landscape covers became common- posed regulations regarding carbon dioxide. Yes, it’s a new year and change is in the place. Starting this month, the EPA is expected to air and at Rural Arkansas Living. But, despite Even with the human-interest features issue regulations for greenhouse gases, which the new package and offerings, one thing re- and beautiful covers, Rural Arkansas contin- was made possible by a 2007 Supreme Court mains the same. We will continue our mis- ued to inform members about the industry decision that says the EPA can use the Clean sion to tell the cooperative story and about all issues of the day, such as in the 1980s when Air Act to curb carbon emissions. As with the ways we are looking out for you. • 4 I RURAL ARKANSAS LIVING JANUARY 2011 SEPTEMBERJANUARY 2011 2010 RURAL ARKANSAS LIVING I 5 NEWS BRIEFS New Year’s Resolution: Seal Leaks Every hole in every wall of your house has the potential to rob it of com- fortable, heated air and let the outdoor weather inside. That’s a waste of the energy it takes to keep your home warm. Take a walk around every room in your house. Notice where your electri- cal outlets, Internet and TV cables and phone lines come into the house from the outside. Is there any space around Sprinkler the hole where the line or switch plate or cable fit? System Can If they’re not snug, caulk around them until they are. That will help pre- vent air from leaking inside and out. • Save Lives Most fire departments urge home- owners to install sprinkler systems Pack Up Holiday Lights, in new homes or when they remodel their existing ones. Fire spreads so quickly that you But Keep Timers On could have as few as two minutes to es- cape before it’s too late. A fire sprinkler system can buy you a few more minutes. If you were energy-smart door floodlights that you must leave on Here’s how it works: When it senses a over the holidays, you all night, can do the same. Motion sen- fire, the sprinkler system automatically sors illuminate an area only when they sprays water on the flames. Only the plugged your tree and out- sense movement and will shut off auto- sprinkler closest to the fire will spray.

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